Pocket-knife.



Patented J an. 7, 1913.

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ALEXANDER PINKNEY SMITH OF MIACGN, GEORGIA.

POCKET-KNIFE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

i atentetl Jan. 7,1913.

Application filed Itovember 13, 1911. Serial No. 660,060.

To all 107mm 2'25 may concern Be it known that I, ALEXANDER PINKNEY, SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Macon, in the county of Bibb and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pocket-Knives; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same This invention relates to improvements in pocket knives.

One object of the invention is to provide a knife of this character having removable blades and means for detachably fastening the blades in the handle.

Another object is to provide a knife of this character which will be strong and durable in construction and having its detachable blades constructed in such manner that when in an open position they cannot become loose or disengaged from the handle.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, and the combination and arrangement of parts as will be more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings; Figure 1 is a side view of my improved knife with one of the side plates removed and showing the blades in open position; Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the blades in closed position; Fig. 3 is a similar View of one end of the knife handle showing the manner in which the blade is removed; Fig. 4 is a detail side view of one of the blades removed from the handle.

Referring more particularly to the draw ings, 1 denotes the handle of my improved knife, said handle comprising the usual slde plates 2 connected together near their ends by blade attaching rivets 3 and having secured between the same at their rear edges a back spring i. These parts may be of the usual or any desired construction and the side plates may have applied thereto any desired form of cover strips or may be ornamented in any desired manner.

Connected with one or both ends of the handle are one or more blades, the handle in the present instance being shown as having a large blade 5 at one end and a small blade 5 at the opposite end. The outer or cutting portion of the blades may be of any desired form and the inner end thereof provided with attaching shanks 6 having a curved or rounded inner end as shown. The shanks 6 are offset from the back edge of the blades, thus forming the usual spring engaging notch and shoulder 8 which, when the blades are swung to open positions, engage the ends of the back spring as clearly shown in Fig. l of the drawings. In the shanks 6 of the blades are formed curved notches 9 the outer ends of which are flared to a slight extent to facilitate the engage ment of the slots with tie rivets 3 whereby the blades are pivotally secured to the handle. The inner ends of the notches are slightly offset as shown at 10 while the convex edge of the slot forms a cam surface which must be brought beneath the rivets against the pressure of the back spring before the blades can be removed from the handle and the arrangement of the slots is such that the blades can only be removed when the same are swung to a closed or nearly closed position as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

As clearly shown in Fig. 2 the flat bearing surface 6 of the shank will contact with the inner contacting surface of the back spring a when the blade is in a closed position, the projecting rounded heel portion 6 also bearing against the back spring to hold the said blade and hooked portion thereof in a locked position with the back of the blade projecting a suitable distance beyond the handle of the knife.

The blades are opened and closed in the usual manner and when in an open position the ends of the back spring 4 engages the notch 7 and shoulder 8 and thus firmly holds the blade in an open position as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. When in this posi tion it will be impossible for the blades to become loose or disengaged from the handle and in order to remove the blades it is first necessary to close the latter after which they may be removed by being forced outwardly lengthwise of the handle until the notches 9 are disengaged from the rivets 3. In thus forcing the blades outwardly the movement thereof is resisted by the pressure of the spring 4: against the edge of the shank, said spring being forced back by the engagement of the cam surface of the converted edge of the notch 9 with the rivets 3. This yielding pressure of the spring a with the shank of the blades when the latter are in a closed position prevents the casual or accidental disengagement of the blades from the rivets of the handle. By detachably securing the blades to the handle in the manner described the blades may be quickly and easily removed When broken or damaged and readily replaced by new blades, thus permitting the same handle to be used indefinitely for hold ing the blades which may not only be renewed When broken but may be exchanged for blades of different styles or shapes.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood Without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details or construction may be resorted to Without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention claimed.

Playing thus described my invention, what I claim is;

A knife comprising a handle with a back spring pivotally connected thereto at its central portion, a rivet extending through one end of the handle, a blade provided With a shank having one end in the form of an arc of a circle, the sides of shank being slightly divergent from each other and both extending tangentially from the curved end portion, a slot in said shank opening on the side toward. the sharpened edge of the blade, the sides of said slot being arcuate and the convex side being cut away at its inner end to form a circular opening, said slot and circular opening being adapted to receive said rivet, said blade being held in place on said rivetby the pressure of said back spring on said shank, and being detachable by movement of said shank normally against said back spring when the blade is closed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

ALEX. PINKNEY SMITH. Witnesses R. C. JonnAN, T. D. MAssnn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each,

"Washington, D. t).

by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, 

